The Ténéré desert: a hidden graveyard for migrants in Niger
An expanse of sand as magnificent as it is deadly. The desert zone in northern Niger continues to be the backdrop for human tragedies unfolding far from Western attention. While media focus regularly falls on Mediterranean shipwrecks, crossing the Sahara is increasingly proving to be an equally fatal stage forContinue Reading
Mali : un agent du renseignement français condamné à 20 ans de prison, Paris rejette les accusations
Diplomatie – Un agent des renseignements français, bénéficiant du statut diplomatique et détenu depuis près de dix mois à Bamako, a écopé de vingt ans de réclusion pour “atteinte à la sûreté de l’État”. Paris qualifie ces accusations d’infondées. Ce vendredi, la justice malienne a prononcé une peine de vingtContinue Reading
Niger’s ocrits: a pivotal force in the Sahel’s anti-drug trafficking efforts
Niamey, June 5, 2026 — Niger has emerged as a key player in the battle against international drug trafficking across the Sahel region, a testament to a series of impactful operations carried out in recent years by the Central Office for the Suppression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS). The significantContinue Reading
Mali bars civilians from 39 military zones amid security crackdown
Bamako is tightening its grip on national territory. Mali’s transitional authorities have officially banned civilian access to 39 military interest zones spread across the country. The measure, described as a way to shield ongoing operations, comes as the Malian armed forces (FAMa) ramp up deployments against terrorist groups active inContinue Reading
Burkina Faso : l’ex-chef de la sécurité de Damiba condamné à 11 ans de prison dans une affaire d’incendie
Burkina Faso : l’ex-chef de la sécurité de Damiba condamné à 11 ans de prison dans une affaire d’incendie Actus. La justice burkinabè a condamné l’ancien chef de la sécurité de Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba à 11 ans de prison, dont cinq ans ferme. Une décision qui intervient dans un contexteContinue Reading
Malian court jails french agent for state security breach
Actus. The Malian judicial system has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a French intelligence operative. This development has been met with strong condemnation from Paris, which dismisses the allegations as “baseless,” further escalating already high diplomatic tensions with Bamako. A significant chill has descended upon relations between ParisContinue Reading
Mali: Paris condemns ‘baseless accusations’ following french diplomat’s 20-year sentence
France has issued a strong condemnation following the Malian judiciary’s decision to sentence a French diplomatic agent to twenty years of criminal detention. Convicted of «undermining state security,» the French national also faces a twenty-year ban from Malian territory and a substantial fine. The French Ministry for Foreign Affairs immediatelyContinue Reading
Burkina Faso: balancing private school fees and public education needs
For families in Burkina Faso, the dream of quality education often comes with a heavy financial burden. Alain Damiba, a slam artist, shares a common sentiment: “The soaring costs of private schooling make it nearly impossible for parents to provide their children with a proper education, so regulating tuition feesContinue Reading
Mali: a propaganda video unveils jnim’s evolving strategic approach
Mali A recent propaganda video released by the armed group JNIM, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, offers a stark illustration of the attack carried out on April 25 against the military camp and airport in Sévaré, a critical location near Mopti in central Mali. This assault on Sévaré was not anContinue Reading
Malian court sentences french intelligence agent to two decades in prison
The ongoing dispute between Paris and Bamako has escalated significantly following the severe sentencing of Yann V., a confirmed agent of France’s Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE). The French national, apprehended in the Malian capital in August 2025, received a twenty-year prison term. The ruling by the junta cited attemptsContinue Reading
Mali court sentences French national to two decades in prison for alleged plot
A French national, Yann Vezilier, has been sentenced to two decades behind bars by Malian authorities for his alleged role in a plot aimed at destabilizing the administration led by transitional leader General Assimi Goïta. French diplomatic sources swiftly responded, dismissing the accusations as baseless. The Ministère de l’Europe etContinue Reading
Belgium to permanently close its embassy in Mali by 2026
FERMETURE Belgium to permanently close its embassy in Mali by 2026 The Kingdom of Belgium is preparing to cease its long-standing diplomatic presence in Mali, with the permanent closure of its Bamako embassy scheduled for June 30, 2026. An update issued on June 5 by the Belgian embassy in BamakoContinue Reading